The present invention relates generally to inlet swivels for hose reels. More particularly, the present invention relates to bearing arrangements for swivels capable of transmitting high-pressure fluids while also minimizing pressure drop.
Hose reels are commonly used in fluid handling industries, such as for the dispensing of pressurized air, lubricants, adhesives and the like. In these and other applications, bulk quantities of the pressurized fluid are distributed in much smaller volumes using a dispenser that is separated from a storage vessel via a hose. Lengthy hoses are used to facilitate wide ranging of the dispenser to many different distribution points. Hose reels are used to conveniently wind and un-wind the hose, thereby reducing the potential for damaging the hose or people tripping over the hose.
Typical hose reels utilize a swivel that is positioned at the axis of rotation of the reel. An inlet end of the swivel receives fluid from the bulk container, and delivers the fluid to a stationary frame of the hose reel assembly. A rotating end of the swivel receives fluid from the inlet end, and allows the hose to rotate with a drum of the hose reel assembly. The swivel is subject to axial loading from pressurized fluid flowing through the swivel and radial loading from the weight of the drum and hose. In order to withstand or eliminate the axial loading, typical high-pressure swivel couplings utilize a “balanced seal” design. In a typical balanced seal design, a non-rotating post having transfer holes, or perforations, can be joined to a sleeve that rotates about the post, forming a fluid path from the inside of the post, through the perforations and into the sleeve. Such a swivel is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,432. The transfer holes, however, introduce a constriction into the fluid passage that generates an undesirable pressure drop and that also result in stress concentrations that limit the pressure rating of the swivel.